Covid Information
As the circumstances around coronavirus and COVID-19 continue to unfold, many people in our community are struggling mentally, physically and financially. We’re moving quickly to address the changing needs of our community by implementing many additional programs. LTSC, Little Tokyo Community Council (LTCC) and Keiro have partnered together to start “Little Tokyo Eats” to deliver subsidized dinners to in-need Little Tokyo seniors three times a week. Additionally, because many people in our community have lost their jobs or had hours reduced, we’ve implemented a $100,000 emergency cash assistance fund which includes $53,000 from the California Community Foundation for our residents in need. LTSC is also assisting small businesses by connecting them to relief programs and setting up their online store, social media presence and take-out/delivery operations. To read more about how we’re helping the community and responding to the pandemic, please visit COVID-19 Information.
Organizations like LTSC stand at the front lines during an emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring the social welfare and economic sustainability of people who are often overlooked. LTSC depends on generous supporters to carry out its various community projects, services and programs. Please support our efforts: Better Together
Little Tokyo Community Council
Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC), Little Tokyo Community Council (LTCC) and Keiro have partnered to start “Little Tokyo Eats” to deliver subsidized dinners prepared by restaurants in Little Tokyo and hand-delivered to low-income seniors in the community. Purchasing dinners from Little Tokyo restaurants provides small business owners with additional revenue and in turn, seniors in need purchase meals at a subsidized rate of $3.00 per meal.
“We feel that this public health crisis needs to be a team effort. There are so many needs in our community, we must come together to support the growing issues of our older adults. As we battle this pandemic, it will take all of us to unify and fight this deadly virus,” said Gene Kanamori, President and Chief Executive Officer at Keiro.
To support this program and our other COVID-19 relief efforts, please donate to Better Together.
Delivering Groceries to Residents In Need
In addition to Little Tokyo Eats, we’re delivering fresh produce along with non-perishable food items to seniors and low-income residents, as well as families who are part of our childcare programs.
We’ve partnered with the Asian Pacific Islander Forward Movement (APIFM) to distribute fresh vegetables, eggs and more to residents while also supporting local farmers. For many at-risk populations, there’s a critical need for fresh produce because of the City of Los Angeles’ Safer-at-Home order. This partnership not only ensures that in-need residents have access to fresh food, but also the Asian American farmers in APIFM’s network can support their families and employees during this crisis. To date, we’ve distributed over 192 bags of produce to low-income families in our community.
Also, we’ve ramped up efforts to increase donations of non-perishable items with a focus on Asian and Latinx foods along with personal hygiene products to our food pantry. LTSC maintains a food pantry to support the needs and dietary preferences of people in our community. These donations make sure those in our community always have access to culturally familiar, nutritious meals and supplies.
2019 Annual Report
We’re excited to present LTSC’s 2019 annual report of activities. The annual report provides a glimpse into the most memorable moments of the past year and spotlights some of the people we loved working with in 2019. Read up on one of Little Tokyo’s newest storefronts, CRFT by Maki, learn about how we’re compassionately caring for seniors and see how the LTSC Youth Group is empowering students to be college-bound leaders. We hope you enjoy these stories and others, along with our highlights from the past year! See the Annual Reportopens PDF file .
Better Together
Follow us on social media as we present Better Together: Providing Help, Hope and Healing. This fundraiser launches today and will showcase the great work being done by LTSC staff and volunteers, highlighting the new programs implemented to support seniors, feed families and aid small businesses in Little Tokyo during this time for crisis. It will also help us raise the much-needed revenue to continue to carry out our COVID-19 relief efforts. We could not do any of this without you, to give please visit our donation page. #BetterTogether
LTSC is in the news
Many news outlets have written stories about LTSC that publicize our commitment to ensuring the social welfare and economic sustainability of the people in our community during this challenging time.
- In the Los Angeles Times, read about how we’re helping legacy Little Tokyo restaurants embrace social media.
- LAist.com highlights how LTSC is assisting small businesses in Little Tokyo to survive during the pandemic.
- See Japan Hollywood Network’s broadcast highlights how many Little Tokyo organizations are helping one another during these challenging times.
Terasaki Budokan
The power is on at Terasaki Budokan! Turning on the lights marks a huge milestone for the big gym in Little Tokyo, and now the installation of the gym floor can begin. Twenty-five years in the making, Little Tokyo Service Center took the lead in planning for a community recreation center in 1994. In 2018, construction began on the building, and today work is nearing completion. When finished, Terasaki Budokan will be a two-story 39,000 square-foot facility featuring two basketball courts that convert to four volleyball courts along with space for martial arts. Additionally, there will be an outdoor plaza with stage, second-level terrace, children’s playground, courtyard, community room and underground parking. Learn more about Terasaki Budokan.
Healthy LA
LTSC recently joined the Healthy LA coalition, a network of 300 advocacy organizations uniting to propose concrete solutions to the many hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
We encourage you to contact your district’s elected officials and tell them the need to socially and financially protect millions of vulnerable Angelenos. Everyone’s well-being and our shared public health depend on everyone having housing, access to healthcare, along with job and food security. For more visit HealthyLA.org
Staying Close to home
Erica Rawles, Creative Strategist / Embedded Artist at Little Tokyo Service Center, made a coloring book to help entertain people currently sheltering at home. The book features scenes of Little Tokyo past and present. LTSC is distributing the book and colored pencils to residents and seniors and is available in multiple languages to download and print at home.
“I hope this coloring book provides you with a moment to relax and unwind. Whether Little Tokyo is your home, or right now, your home away from home, I hope the illustrations on these pages give you a small sense of comfort in an otherwise uncertain time,” says Erica in her note from the artist page in the book.
February & March Donors
Thank you to all our supporters for your contributions last month!
Add your name to the list by making a DONATION today.
Mikako and Ali Amini
Anonymous
PayPal Giving Fund
Dennis Arguelles
Elizabeth Burton
Eric Chu
Cisco
Samantha de Castro
Ruben Funkahuatl Guevara
Jeffrey and Lorraine Dohzen
Akemi Fujimoto
Lisa Hasegawa
Emily Hertzberg
Duane and Joy Hirayama
Takahiro Ide
Kelsey Iino
Edna Ikeda Horiuchi
Brenton Inouye
Noelle Ito
Susan Josue
Dick and Pauline Kaku
Alan Kawa
Shin Kawasaki
Tayoko Kawato
Joanne Kim
Carolyn Kobayashi
Joan Stonehouse
Kathleen Kubota
Janet Kurihara
Vien Le
LFA Insurance Services, Inc.
Adelle Lutz
Susan Maki
Robert and Teresa Matsushima
Diana and Yoshi Matsushima
Toshiko McCallum
Joy Middo
Janet and Henry Minami, Jr.
Dave and Terri Mitani and Family
MUFG Union Bank
Mike Murase and June Hibino
Nicole Murph
Rod Nakamoto
Eric Nakamura
Mike Okamura
Roger Omae
Christopher Ono
Yosuke Ouchi
Susan J. Ozawa
Jeff and Reina Schaffer
Margaret and Ken Shimada
Andrew Stranahan
Nikki Kealalio Sutton
Akemi Arakaki and Takao Suzuki
Kathy and Russell Tagawa
Esther Taira
Sumiko Takahashi and Yildirim Arkun
Kelly Takasu
Yuka Takeuchi
George Tanaka
Setsuko Tanaka
Kira Teshima
Staci Toji
Maya Tuttle
Marie Umeda
Keith Umemoto
Brian Niiya and Karen Umemoto
Mark and Vivien Usui
David and Donna Uyehara
Marsha and Gary Watanabe
Janet and Michael Watanabe
Weingart Foundation
Wells Fargo Foundation Educational Matching Gifts Program
Yamagata Foundation
Michael Yap and Susan Moon Fund
Gerald and Anne Yee
Catherine Yen
Alayne Yonemoto
Jeff Yonemura
Nolan Young
Young Japanese Breast Cancer Network
In Memory of Dean Matsubayashi
Kim Kawaratani
In Memory of David Miyashita
Marivic A. Miyashita
In Memory of Dirck Morgan
Ellen Morgan
In Memory of Mary Tachiko Oi
Bruce Hirsch
The Machida Sisters: Sharon, Kiyo, Debra and Linda
In Memory of Masahito Okada
Emily Okada
In Memory of Joan Fusako Onodera
Patricia Nicholson
In Memory of Judy Nishimoto Ota
Kathy and Mark Masaoka
In Memory of Jeannette Kyoko Sanderson
Emily and Dan Weaver
In Memory of Fudge Sato
Jennifer Sato-Veloz
Terasaki Budokan
Blair Aihara
Anonymous
Lori and Bruce Arikawa
Aki Azuma
Laura Blosser and Chris Argyros
Yolanda Chavez
Stephen Chen
Christopher Chow
Calvin Chu
John Eddow
Michael Enomoto
Jerry Fukui
Dennis, Jill, Tyler and Travis Fukumoto
Myron Gee and Ann Ogawa Gee
Janet Hasegawa-Chu and Cliff Chu
Phyllis Hayashibara
Alan Hino
Steve Hoang
Lance Huang
Tony Huynh
Kelley Ikeda
Ryan and Reverie Imagiire
Matsuko Isozaki
Paul and Judy Isozaki
Whitney Itano
Scott Ito and Nan Lee
David Iwasaki
Bruce Iwasaki and Evelyn Yoshimura
Lauren Iwata
Japan Business Association of Southern California
Diane and Larry Jung
Miyako Kadogawa
Judy Kam
Cindy J. Kato
Jean and Karl Kawakami
Jeffrey and Jill Kawana
Kimberly Kawasaki
Trisha Kawasaki
Tayoko and Fusao Kawato
Glen and Carol Kazahaya
Theodore Kee
Chester and Eileen Kido
Ken and Karen Kikkawa
Marlene Kikuchi
Jessie Kikuchi and Brent Mori
June Kikuchi-Akers
Bomee Fain
Alex Kim
Christine and Brian Kimura
Kris Kishi
Gary and Barbara Kitagawa
Yuji Kitagawa
Jean Kodama
Ken and Christine Kohler
Lillian Komata
Roy and Aileen Kozaki
Kubota Mortuary
Takeshi and Ritsuko Kuroki
Ed Lee
Jeffrey and Julie Lee
Sharon and Allen Lee
Rick and Lonin Lew
LinkedIn
Little Tokyo Kinyokai
Gina Loyonnet
Yukhong Lum
Matthew Lum
Carolyn Machida
Norman and Mardy Maehara
Elaine L. Maki
Susan Maki
Manufacturers Bank
Kathy and Mark Masaoka
Rick Matsumoto Family
Robert and Teresa Matsushima
Michael Mio
Daren Mooko
Michelle T. Morimoto
Linda and Richard Morioka
Keiko Moriyama
Joanne Mukai
Terry K. Murase
Tak and Grace Murase
Kei Nagao
Greg Nakabayashi
Judy Nakano
Dan and Carol Nakauchi
Perry Ng
Ngoc Nguyen
Allen and Sara Niimi
Sharon Nishi
Steve Nishimori
Alan and Yvonne Nishio
Michael and Junie Obi
Karen Ogawa-Jung
Patrice Okabe
Mickie Okamoto and Geoffrey Tsudama
Brandon Okita and Erin Matsushita
Roger Omae
Shoichi and Ayumi Omoto
Tomoko Omura
Ryan and Denise Onishi
Kathy and Kirk Oshinomi
Lee and Lorraine Ouye
Rafu Kokusei Kai
Ryan Sakamoto
Kirk and Traci Sasaki
Debbie Sato
David Shen
Stanley and Jane Shimotsu
Shotokan Karate
Vince Soo
Evan Su
Grant Sunoo and Emily Mayeda
Cooke and Elaine Sunoo
Marcia Suzuki
Nina Suzuki
Akemi Arakaki and Takao Suzuki
Michael and Diane Suzuki
Kacey Takashima-Ahn
Margaret and Dick Takimoto
Jeffrey Tani
Catherine and Gary Tani
Julie Tatsugawa and John Okura
Clint Taura
Jonathan Tiongco
Sally Kim and Jimmy Tokeshi
Megumi Tomatsu
Steven Toyama
Nancy Toyota
Benjamin Tran
Ritchie and Keri Tuazon and Family
Harry Tung
Daniel Tung
Christine Tung
Dr. Grant and Debbie Uba
Ray and Estela Uchima
Steven Jabami
Loana dp Valencia
Atsuko and Stephen Wada
Albert Wang
Kevin Wang
Scott T. Watanabe
Bill and Ruth Watanabe
Emily and Dan Weaver
Harry Yamada
Yamagata Foundation
Scott and Shelley Shinmoto
Mark Yanai
Frank and Gail Yanai
Bob and Deena Ota
Derek Yang
Clement and Angie Yang
Yellow Brotherhood
Tad Yoshimura
Leo Young
Forrest Yumori
Neil Zhao
In Memory of Dale Makoto Inouye
Dale M. Inouye Foundation
In Memory of Sid and Mari Inouye
Anonymous
In Memory of Frank and Sumi Kozawa
Lily Tsurumaki
In Memory of Dean Matsubayashi
Ayumi Nagata
Bill and Ruth Watanabe
In Memory of Torao Mori
Aimee Kuan
Christopher Mori
Christina Okawa
Heizaburo and Jeanie Okawa
Jeremy Okawa
Tsuyoshi Okawa
In Memory of Carl Shoji Niizawa
Jeffrey and Linda Niizawa
In Memory of Clarence S. Niizawa
Jeffrey and Linda Niizawa
In Memory of Evan Yoshio Niizawa
Jeffrey and Linda Niizawa
In Memory of Judy Nishimoto Ota
Bill and Ruth Watanabe
In Memory of Harry and Mary Oune
Mark M. Oune
In Memory of Hank “Nisei Hiker” Umemoto
Bruce, Rahmah, Firas, Saif and Adam Umemoto
In Honor of Lawrence Chung
Jonathan Tiongco
In Honor of Aki Komai
Masae Arima
Tayeko Iwanaga
Hideo Kagawa
Hideo Karatsu
Kazuo Pete Kataoka
Colleen and Edward Kobayashi
Donald Koma
Mitsugi Miyakawa
Barbara and Allan Mizuhara
Richard Shindo
Lester Sugino
Carole and Howard Tsujimura
Hiroaki and Julia Yamamoto
Frank Yanai
Lynne Yonemura
In Honor of Tony Lin
John Lin
In Honor of Raelyn J. Tomita Liu
Cherry Uyeda
Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches
Noriko Lee
In-kind Donations
Baby2Baby
JiST Cafe
Kirin Ichiban
Lyft
Dawn Omori
Shelter Partnership
Vehicle Donations
Stacy Iwata-Goan
Margaret and Dick Takimoto
Myrtle Yoshino and Kevin Yoshino
